Last month, Senators Andy Kim (D-New Jersey) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), board members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, introduced the Language Access for All Act to codify language access requirements for federal agencies and protect language access for the 25 million individuals in the US with limited English proficiency. The legislation would prioritize customer service governance by reducing barriers to federal services and making sure federal agencies are equipped to meet diverse language needs.
“There’s nothing more basic to the purpose of government than to help people,” announced Senator Kim. “From accessing veteran benefits to help filing taxes, no one in our country should be barred from accessing critical assistance or resources because of language barriers. As the Trump administration goes after long-standing translation and language-accessibility services, this legislation would make sure no president can stand between the American people and the agencies there to serve them.”
“In limiting multilingual access to federal resources, the Trump regime’s extreme anti-diversity ideology is preventing millions of American citizens from accessing critical services including small business loans, Social Security benefits, and Medicare coverage,” argued Senator Hirono.“By protecting interpreter and translation services, this legislation ensures that all Americans—no matter what language they speak—can get the services they need.”
The Language Access for All Act is being introduced in response to perceived threats to existing services. In March 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14224 that declared English as the official language of the US and revoked EO 13166—a 25-year-old mandate that required agencies to provide critical language access to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). The Department of Justice has also issued new guidance that minimizes multilingual services and redirects resources toward English language assimilation.
According to the senators, these policy changes threaten language access for the over 25 million people in the US—8% of the US population—with limited English proficiency. In their press release the senators pointed out that “Asian Americans have among the highest language access needs of any racial group, with 32% having LEP, while 12% of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders also have significant language access needs. And while Spanish language speakers make up the majority of those who speak another language in the United States, nearly 40% report speaking English ‘less than very well’ in the most recent US Census.”
The Language Access for All Act of 2026 is intended to modernize and strengthen the federal government’s language access services by formalizing EO 13166 and establishing a coordinated, accountable framework to ensure meaningful access to government services for individuals with LEP. Specifically, the legislation:
- Requires federal agencies to ensure that individuals with LEP can meaningfully access the federally conducted programs and activities of the agency, including through translation and interpretation.
- Creates a public complaint system to track complaints regarding barriers to meaningful access at agencies.
- Requires agencies to develop and maintain language-access plans consistent with EO 13166, with public notice and comment, and to submit plans to Congress and publish them on LEP.gov.
- Establishes language-access technical standards that allow individuals with LEP to access agency content. This applies to all agency communications, including AI and automated language-assistance services.
- Ensures AI-assisted language services do not replace qualified translators and interpreters, comply with federal privacy requirements, and are continuously tested for bias, discrimination, and errors.
- Creates an interagency language-access working group to provide guidance, coordination, and technical assistance.
- Requires each agency to designate a language-access coordinator to lead implementation and serve as a point of contact.
The legislation is co-sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) and was introduced in January 2026 in the House of Representatives by fellow members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus: Representatives Judy Chu (D-California), Grace Meng (D-New York), Juan Vargas (D-California), and Dan Goldman (D-New York).
“For more than 25 years, both Democratic and Republican presidents have supported language accessibility across the federal government. Trump’s roll back of these protections is simply wrong. In my district, translation services are essential for parents applying for a home loan, seniors accessing Medicare, immigrants starting a small business, and disaster survivors accessing FEMA’s resources. That is why I’m proud to co-lead the Language Access for All Act to ensure no one is denied health care, housing, or disaster assistance because English is not their first language. Language access is a civil right and rolling back these services is an attack on our immigrant communities,” explained Representative Chu.
“Every American deserves equal access to federal services and programs in a language they can understand. Language access is essential to ensure individuals are able to access small business loans or receive the right medical care,” added Representative Meng, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. “I am proud to lead the Language Access for All Act in the House to safeguard translation services for individuals with limited English proficiency, including millions in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. We will continue to fight against the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrants and the essential services that our communities rely on and deserve.”
